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The details of a terrible deed of blood reached us yesterday from Hawkins County. The victim was J. C. Willie, himself the murderer of a man named Sizemore, who fell by a bullet from his pistol about a year ago, in the same county.

Between this Willis and one Barton a bad feeling has been growing for some time, and they thirsted for each other's blood. At length the devil favored their wish, and they met on Sunday last on the banks of the Clinch River, a few miles east of Rogersville. Willis was half drunk, and was on his way home from a distillery in the hills, where he had been drinking and gaming for three or four days.

The other man, it is said, was justleaving a religious gathering in thewoods. They met in a lonely place;both were mounted. The impenetrableforest spread its silent shade on eitherside for miles. Not a sound was heard,save the rustling of the autumn leaves under the horses' hoofs. The momentthey came in sight of each other, at asharp turn in the road, they were notmore than twenty yards apart, and theirhorses were going at a good trot. Whenthey pulled up, the heads of the animalstouched each other. They halted andlet their bridle lines drop. The tiredhorses began to pick at the with-ered [withered] leaves, but the deadly-mindedmen busied themselves in haulingout their pistols. Not a word wasuttered. Each felt that now, in thedepth of the primeval forest, was thetime to glut their mutual vengeance.Willis's belt came loose and his pistolfell down on his horses' back. He par-tially [partially] turned round to pick it up, and,while in the act, his assailant fired andstruck Willis in the side. The man fell,and when he came to the ground thehorse which he was riding turned roundand galloped off, dragging him a consid-erable [considerable] distance. His foot caught in aprojecting root, while the other remainedfixed in the stirrup. The violence of thejerk literally wrenched his thigh-bonefrom its socket, while the saddle girthbroke, and he was left an the groundgroaning. When the enemy rode upand dismounted, Willis saw the evil de-sign [design] in his eye, and begged of him togive a respite to see his wife. But no!the black-hearted man was inexorable.He was one of them—“--whose hearts the furies steeled. And cursed with hearts unknowing how to yield."

He would allow no respite, not even to utter a short prayer, but sternly told theman that he should die. Willis im-plored [implored] mercy; the blood streaming from his side, and the agony of his torn limb working his face into fearful contortions. He clasped his hands together and begged mercy, mercy, but there was none. The monster deliberately put his pistol to the almost dying man's fore head and shot his brains out. He then mounted his horse and rode to a friend's house, to whom he detailed the particu-lars [particulars] of the murder, took three or four drinks of whisky and left. He has not been heard of since.

This murder calls up a long train of homicides. In 1864 an old and highly esteemed citizen of Russellville, Mr. Cain, was killed by a young Federal soldier, a citizen of the same county, named Bewley. A short time afterward Bewley was killed by one of the sons of old mad Cain. But a short time was left for young Cainto live. He fell a victim to the murder-ous [murderous] hand of a friend of Bewley's, Bill Sizemore, who, shortly after the killing of young Cain, completed the list of his murders by brutally murdering Lieu-tenant [Lieutenant] Thurman, of Hawkins County. Sizemore did not long live to gloat over his deeds of blood. The avenger was on his path, and in a very short time Size-more [Sizemore] was sent to eternity by a bullet from the pistol of I. C. Willis. Willis now is murdered, and we may well, in horror, exclaim: Where will the terribletragedy end ?

[End of newspaper clipping]

[Start of handwritten document]

Lex Talioni

The horrors of the diabolical andsavage [illegible] manner of taking of life bythe Indians – are often pictorial townsminus [illegible] us with the fearful savagebrutality of the [untutored?] man of the forest. Under the excitement of theconceived wrongs of the white manas the innovator of the sanctuary ofthe rightful forest home and the discharge of the red races – savage – terrible and fearful indeed is the record – of torturesuffering and burnings [illegible] [illegible] of the white [illegible].But, the white and Christian men too [illegible]a terrible record against him – especially under the light of Christianity.

The Indians in their domesticlands have a cherished law establishedand enforced by usage and long [custom?]“Lex Talioni” or the law of retaliationis softened down sometimes by a rulejudiciary which allows the one guilty ofmurder to be heard impartially. He isafforded the opportunity of conciliating thefriends of the deceased victim. By presentsand other conciliations – he might [secure?] hislife. If the friends of the deceased acceptthe [proffered?] presents of goods – [illegible] [illegible]he then is free – and has no fears – of [illegible]revenge. Nas-waw-kay’s trial isan instance of a circumstance illustratingthe law governing such cases.

Images in the George Winter Collection should not be used without written permission from the Tippecanoe County Historical Association. To obtain reproduction rights and prices, contact the Tippecanoe County Historical Association, http://www.tcha.mus.in.us

The details of a terrible deed of blood reached us yesterday from Hawkins County. The victim was J. C. Willie, himself the murderer of a man named Sizemore, who fell by a bullet from his pistol about a year ago, in the same county.

Between this Willis and one Barton a bad feeling has been growing for some time, and they thirsted for each other's blood. At length the devil favored their wish, and they met on Sunday last on the banks of the Clinch River, a few miles east of Rogersville. Willis was half drunk, and was on his way home from a distillery in the hills, where he had been drinking and gaming for three or four days.

The other man, it is said, was justleaving a religious gathering in thewoods. They met in a lonely place;both were mounted. The impenetrableforest spread its silent shade on eitherside for miles. Not a sound was heard,save the rustling of the autumn leaves under the horses' hoofs. The momentthey came in sight of each other, at asharp turn in the road, they were notmore than twenty yards apart, and theirhorses were going at a good trot. Whenthey pulled up, the heads of the animalstouched each other. They halted andlet their bridle lines drop. The tiredhorses began to pick at the with-ered [withered] leaves, but the deadly-mindedmen busied themselves in haulingout their pistols. Not a word wasuttered. Each felt that now, in thedepth of the primeval forest, was thetime to glut their mutual vengeance.Willis's belt came loose and his pistolfell down on his horses' back. He par-tially [partially] turned round to pick it up, and,while in the act, his assailant fired andstruck Willis in the side. The man fell,and when he came to the ground thehorse which he was riding turned roundand galloped off, dragging him a consid-erable [considerable] distance. His foot caught in aprojecting root, while the other remainedfixed in the stirrup. The violence of thejerk literally wrenched his thigh-bonefrom its socket, while the saddle girthbroke, and he was left an the groundgroaning. When the enemy rode upand dismounted, Willis saw the evil de-sign [design] in his eye, and begged of him togive a respite to see his wife. But no!the black-hearted man was inexorable.He was one of them—“--whose hearts the furies steeled. And cursed with hearts unknowing how to yield."

He would allow no respite, not even to utter a short prayer, but sternly told theman that he should die. Willis im-plored [implored] mercy; the blood streaming from his side, and the agony of his torn limb working his face into fearful contortions. He clasped his hands together and begged mercy, mercy, but there was none. The monster deliberately put his pistol to the almost dying man's fore head and shot his brains out. He then mounted his horse and rode to a friend's house, to whom he detailed the particu-lars [particulars] of the murder, took three or four drinks of whisky and left. He has not been heard of since.

This murder calls up a long train of homicides. In 1864 an old and highly esteemed citizen of Russellville, Mr. Cain, was killed by a young Federal soldier, a citizen of the same county, named Bewley. A short time afterward Bewley was killed by one of the sons of old mad Cain. But a short time was left for young Cainto live. He fell a victim to the murder-ous [murderous] hand of a friend of Bewley's, Bill Sizemore, who, shortly after the killing of young Cain, completed the list of his murders by brutally murdering Lieu-tenant [Lieutenant] Thurman, of Hawkins County. Sizemore did not long live to gloat over his deeds of blood. The avenger was on his path, and in a very short time Size-more [Sizemore] was sent to eternity by a bullet from the pistol of I. C. Willis. Willis now is murdered, and we may well, in horror, exclaim: Where will the terribletragedy end ?

[End of newspaper clipping]

[Start of handwritten document]

Lex Talioni

The horrors of the diabolical andsavage [illegible] manner of taking of life bythe Indians – are often pictorial townsminus [illegible] us with the fearful savagebrutality of the [untutored?] man of the forest. Under the excitement of theconceived wrongs of the white manas the innovator of the sanctuary ofthe rightful forest home and the discharge of the red races – savage – terrible and fearful indeed is the record – of torturesuffering and burnings [illegible] [illegible] of the white [illegible].But, the white and Christian men too [illegible]a terrible record against him – especially under the light of Christianity.

The Indians in their domesticlands have a cherished law establishedand enforced by usage and long [custom?]“Lex Talioni” or the law of retaliationis softened down sometimes by a rulejudiciary which allows the one guilty ofmurder to be heard impartially. He isafforded the opportunity of conciliating thefriends of the deceased victim. By presentsand other conciliations – he might [secure?] hislife. If the friends of the deceased acceptthe [proffered?] presents of goods – [illegible] [illegible]he then is free – and has no fears – of [illegible]revenge. Nas-waw-kay’s trial isan instance of a circumstance illustratingthe law governing such cases.